The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is calling for prosecutorial authority to deal more effectively with increasing assaults on its personnel during emergency operations.

The Service argues that granting it the power to prosecute offenders directly would help fast-track justice and deter attacks on firefighters.

The call follows a recent incident at Adjirigano, where a firefighter was reportedly stabbed while responding to a fire outbreak.

According to the Service, delays in the judicial process and legal technicalities often result in suspects evading punishment, thereby weakening efforts to ensure the safety of officers in the line of duty.

The Greater Accra Regional Fire Officer, Rashid Kwame Nisawu, made the appeal in an interview with Channel One TV during activities marking the 2026 International Firefighters Day.

“As we speak, we don’t prosecute. One word in a sentence can enable a criminal to go scot-free. If we are the sole prosecutors of our issues, I think it will go a long way to help improve the way we do things, after all, the jargon and the fire terminologies, we own them, and we use them,” he said.

He further urged the public to treat the Fire Service as a critical partner in national development and called for greater respect and protection for personnel during operations.

He also appealed to the private sector to support the Service with modern equipment and logistics to strengthen its emergency response capacity.